WASHINGTON, April 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Attorney General Alberto Gonzales prepares to testify before Congress about his role in the politically motivated firing of eight U.S. Attorneys, CNN.com today reported that the Bush Administration cited the Naval Reserve service of one of those Attorneys as justification for his dismissal.
According to the report, a Justice Department document laying out reasons the U.S. Attorneys were fired cited the "40 to 45 days a year" including weekends that former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias was on duty as a captain in the Navy Reserve as a reason for his dismissal and called him an "absentee landlord" because of it. Among his many duties as a U.S. Attorneys is "protecting the job rights of National Guard and Reserve members," thousands of whom have been sent on lengthy deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. CNN.com cited the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which bars employers from taking action against National Guard and Reserve members based on their military service." [CNN.com, 4/5/07]
"The Bush Administration's shameful decision to use the naval reserve service of one its fired U.S. Attorneys as part of the spin campaign justifying his dismissal is the latest example of how little the Bush Republicans respect the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform," said Don Fowler, co-chair of the Democratic National Committee's Veterans and Military Families Council.
"Thousands of reservists and members of the National Guard have served with honor and distinction on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, often enduring lengthy and extended deployments. After failing to fully fund veteran's health care programs, failing to plan for the wave of wounded Iraq veterans returning home, and failing to heed the American people's call for a new direction in Iraq, it is deeply offensive for the Bush Justice Department to use this man's military service against him."
Democratic National Committee
